Important Facts For Prelims
New Frog Species: Minervarya Pentali
- 03 Aug 2021
- 2 min read
Why in News
Recently, a new frog species was discovered in the Western Ghats and named after former DU Vice-Chancellor and plant geneticist Deepak Pental.
Key Points
- The new frog species named Minervarya Pentali belongs to the family of Dicroglossidae.
- The family Dicroglossidae comprises 202 species of semiaquatic frogs distributed by the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia and Papua New Guinea.
- The family contains large-sized (e.g., genus Hoplobatrachus) and dwarf species, with a total length about 30 mm (e.g., genus Nannophrys).
- It was discovered from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, extending along the southwest coast of the Indian Peninsula.
- This new species is endemic to the southern Western Ghats.
- This species is also among the smallest known Minervarya (genus) frogs.
The Western Ghats
- These are the mountain ranges running parallel along the western coast of India starting from Gujarat and ending in Tamil Nadu.
- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the six Indian states covered by Western Ghats.
- The mountain range is also a “Hottest Hotspot” of biodiversity.
- The Ghats are often called the Great Escarpment of India and are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- High Biodiversity and Endemism are special features of Western Ghats along with the presence of Evergreen Forests.
